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Bruton Cburcb 

TOtlltamsburg, tDtrgtnia 

Brief Historical Botes 



(|U»& T£. (ft. (R. 6oobtoin, (a. (fit. 

(Rector of QSruton <C0urc$ 



# 1903 * 



Gift 
Author 
(Person) 

g " 



Mi <\ 




The Jamestown Baptismal Font. 




The Silver-Gold^Communion Service, 
known as the " queen anne set." 



preface 



N connection with a larger and more complete 
Historical Sketch of Bruton Church this brief 
outline with illustrations has been prepared, 
at smaller cost, to meet a popular demand. 
The author earnestly hopes that the circula- 
tion of this and the larger sketch of the His- 
tory of the Church will increase the interest of 
the public in this ancient building, and win for 
the old Church new friends who will aid in its restora- 
tion and preservation. 




Bruton Rectory, 

Williamsburg, Va. 

August 14th, 1903. 



Hseociattons 




LD Bruton Church has well withstood the 
/^"\ devastating touch of time. The storms of 

many winters have gone over it, the fierce 
battles of two great wars have raged near 
it, and in it have lain the sick and wounded 
of two armies, and yet it stands to-day 
just as it stood well nigh two hundred 
years ago. The Building is consecrated by 
hallowed associations. It is intimately 
connected with Virginia's early history. 
Through its ancient tower entrance passed 
the Court processions of Colonial days, — 
the governors with emblazoned emblems, betokening the 
authority and majesty of old England's Kings and 
Queens; the Council of State, composed of men whose 
names will ever live in our nation's history; and the 
members of the House of Burgesses, the defenders of 
the liberties of the people. 

Here, in pew officially assigned, elevated from the 
main floor and richly canopied, sat the proud and im- 
perious Francis Nicholson, the devoted Edmund Jennings, 
the dauntless Spottswood, Drysdale, Gooch, Dinwiddie, 
Fauquier, Norborne Berkeley Lord de Botetourt, and 
Dunmore. 

Here, as Vestrymen, worshipped the Hon. Daniel 
Parke; the Hon. John Page, "the immigrant;" Thomas 
Ludwell, Secretary of State; Sir John Randolph; Peyton 
Randolph, the King's Attorney and Speaker of the House 
of Burgesses ; Robert Carter Nicholas, Treasurer of Vir- 
ginia ; Major Robert Beverly, Attorney, and Clerk of the 
House of Burgesses, and many others whose names ap- 
pear in the long list of Vestrymen and upon the pages 
of the nation's history. 



Hasoriattons 



Here once sat the men who first saw the vision of a 
great free republic of this Western World, and who, at the 
altar of sacrifice, consecrated their lives to the cause of 
liberty which they loved — George Wythe, patriot, teach- 
er, signer of the Declaration of Independence, was a 
vestryman; Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, John Tyler, 
and Chief Justice John Marshall, and Edmund Randolph, 
worshipped here while students in the College of William 
and Mary ; and most of them in after years while serving 
the Colony and State. George Mason, Edmund Pendle- 
ton, Edmund Randolph, Benjamin Harrison, Bland and 
Lee, while members of the House of Burgesses ; Patrick 
Henry while a member of the House and Governor of 
Virginia (1776), and George Washington, while seeking 
to win the heart and hand of the beautiful Martha 
Custis. 

These, and many others, whose names are deathless, 
have passed within these sacred courts and meekly bowed 
the knee in supplication to the King of Kings. As we 
linger in the silence of the Church, they pass before the 
awakened vision of the mind. They sit, as they did of old, 
listening to the law of the God of Nations, and to the mes- 
sage of liberty in the great Gospel of redemption. The 
walls of the cruciform old building seem to echo again 
with their voice of prayer and thanksgiving. 

Here the youth of the nation that was to be, dreamed 
dreams and saw visions which awakened the high and 
noble aspirations of their lives ; for here they heard the 
Gospel of Liberty, and engaged in the service of devotion 
and adoration which rouses the best that is in a man, 
and inspires him to live and serve for the Glory of his God 
and the good of his fellowman. 

Here have ministered faithful servants of the most 
high God. The services have been almost continuous. 
The College Faculty could always be relied upon to sup- 
ply ministerial service, and the City of Williamsburg, 
being the seat of the Colonial Government, created a con- 



Hssoctationa 



stant demand for the services and ministrations of the 
Church. 

The Church was preserved because it was needed. 
Thus the present building has been longer in continuous 
use than any other Episcopal Church in America. 

Around the Church, side by side with the peers, war- 
riors, scholars, and statesmen of the past in their sculp- 
tured tombs, beneath many mouldering heaps, "the rude 
forefathers of the hamlet sleep." Some to earthly fame 
are now unknown, the names of others live, not because 
they are engraved in marble, but because they helped to 
make the nation's history great. 

The Old Church, with its historic associations and 
hallowed memories, is to us an inheritance from the past 
and a trust for the future. It must be preserved. It must 
remain to tell its story of the days that are gone to days 
that may yet be. It belongs, in a sense, to the nation 
with whose early history it is so intimately associated. 
It is doubly dear to us to whom it witnesses of the in- 
fluence of our Church over the lives of the Nation-build- 
ers, and to whom it speaks of the continuity of our 
Church's life and liturgy. 

The work of restoration, which has been determined 
upon, will be done with reverence and with devotion. 
The exterior will be left unchanged, for change here would 
mean innovation. The interior, which was changed and 
distorted, in view of conditions which no longer exists, 
will be restored to its ancient form, and the whole will be 
transmitted, under the good providence of God, to pos- 
terity as it was planned and builded and used by our 
forefathers. 



^ JSruton Gburcb •&*» 



Brief Historical flotes 



N 1632 Middle Plantation (subse- 
quently Williamsburg) was "laid out 
and paled in." A Parish bearing 
this name was created shortly after- 
wards. 

Zhe Bame of tbe parisb 

The name Bruton was doubtless 
given to the Parish in honor of 
Thomas Ludwell, Esq., who, accord- 
ing to the record inscribed on his 
tomb-stone at the door of Bruton 
Church, was born in Bruton in the 
county of Summerset, England, and 
departed this life in the year 167S. 

£be first Cburcb ftuifting 

The first Church Building erected on this site was 
completed in 1683 and was dedicated by the Rev. Row- 
land Jones, on January 6th, 1684 « being \* epiphany." 

£be present Cburcb Building 

Subsequent to the removal of the House of Burgesses 
from Jamestown to Williamsburg in 1699, the Old 




- 2 

B C 

o z 

3 ► 

— f 
p .-, 





Interior View, 1840-1S 




The Duke of Gloucester Street. 



Brief rHatortcal Notes 



Church Building was found to be inadequate for the use 
of the Parish, and in 1710 a new Church building was 
determined upon, which was completed in 1715. The 
two transepts were built and paid for by order of the 
House of Burgesses. The bricks used in the building were 
furnished by Alexander Spottswood and Hon. Edmund 
Jennings "at \* rate of 15 9 per thousand." This building 
has never been destroyed by fire, and has been contin- 
uously in use longer than any other Episcopal Church in 
America. 

Gown Clock flMacefc in (Tburcb Steeple 

On the 14th day of July, 1840, on motion, it was 
Resolved that the Town authorities have permission to 
have the Town clock removed to the Church and fixed up 
therein. 

flDofcern Innovations 

In 1840 the interior of the Church was remodeled; 
a partition wall was built across the nave, the chancel 
was removed from the East end of the Church and built 
out from this wall, the old pulpit was removed and the 
original form and appearance of the Church destroyed. 

Zbc IRestoration 

At a meeting of the vestry, of the Church, held Satur- 
day, May 23d, 1903, it was unanimously decided to 
restore the interior of Old Bruton Church to its original 
form. The Vestry determined to associate with them- 
selves, in the restoration of the Church an advisory com- 
mittee consisting of Rt. Rev. A. M. Randolph, D. D., 
LL. D., the Rev. Dr. Beverly D. Tucker, Diocese Southern 
Virginia ; the Rev. J. J. Gravatt, Diocese of Virginia ; the 
Rev. Dr. Randolph H. McKim, Diocese of Washington ; 



10 Brief fitstorical Notca 



the Rev. William R. Huntington, D. D., Diocese of New 
York, and Mr. J. Frederick Kernochan, of New York City. 

The co-operation of these gentlemen will give assur- 
ance to the Church at large that the work of restoration 
will be wisely planned and executed. It is estimated that 
the proposed restoration will cost about $7,000. It will 
be impossible for the present members of Braton Church 
to do this work unaided. We feel assured that the 
restoration of the Old Church will commend itself to the 
Church at large, and to all those who revere the past and 
desire to see the monuments of antiquity preserved. 

We are anxious to have this work completed before 
1907, when the Ter-centenary of the landing at James- 
town will be celebrated. This date practically marks the 
two-hundredth anniversary of the present building. Con- 
tributions made for this purpose will be used for the resto- 
ration and preservation of this ancient Temple of our 
forefathers. 

Communion Silver 

The Church has at present three sets of Communion 
Silver, which on account of their sacred associations and 
antiquity are highly prized and carefully preserved. The 
following description of this plate is taken from a book 
entitled "Old Plate," published by the Gorham Manufac- 
turing Co., New York, 1888, pp. 210-212 : 

Zbc Jamestown (Tburcb Service 

CHALICE, H 10% in. PATEN, Dia 7 in. One 
mark, I <H, oval object below, plain shield. 

Inscription on each : JVItxe no * ^dy tbinges with pro- 
fane* 6x dono franctsct Momsoti, Hmrigcri* Hrnio Dorn* 

f66l« This maker's mark is on the celebrated cup form- 
erly belonging to the Blacksmith's Company, London, 
1655, and purchased at the Dexter sale for no less a sum 
*Francis Morrison was at this time acting Governor of the Colonyv 



Brief fiistorical JSotea 11 

than £378, and it is also found in a shaped shield on the 
copper plate preserved at Goldsmith's Hall 1675-1697. 

ALMS BASIN, Dia 9% in. Four marks: 1, Lion pas- 
sant; 2, Leopard's Head, crowned; 3, Small Roman a, 
London 1739: 4, maker's mark, T. F. (Thomas Farren). 
Inscription: for the use of Jamca City parish Church. 
This service has been in use in Bruton Church since the 
Church at Jamestown was abandoned. (Illustration p. 
10.) 

Cbrtst Cburcb, Bruton fl>arisb 

Two-handled CUP AND COVER, gilt H 3% in. ; Dia. 
4*4, in. Four marks: Lion passant; 2, Leopard's Head, 
crowned ; 3, black letter small i London 1686; 4, maker's 
mark P-F), crown and two ermine spots above, crescent 
below, shaped escutcheon, Peeter Harache. This maker's 
mark is also to be found on the copper plate preserved at 
Goldsmith's Hall. 

PATEN, Dia 5% in. Four marks: 1, Lion passant; 
2, Leopard's Head, crowned ; 3, small Roman b, London 

v, 

1737; 4, maker's mark R« 6. (Richard Gurney and Co.) 

C 
The cup is beautifully chased and embellished with 
applique leaves and bears private arms, the Paten is of 
less delicate workmanship. (Illustration p. 2.) 

Gbe Iking George Service 

FLAGON, H 10y 2 in. CHALICE, H 10 in. ALMS 
BASIN, Dia 10 in. Four marks on Flagon: 1, Lion pas- 
sant; 2, Leopard's Head, crowned; 3, Old English capi- 
tal L London 1766; 4, maker's mark "C-1% crowned 
(Thos. Heming). 

On Chalice the maker's mark is wanting, and the 
date letter is an old Old English jf|, London 1764, there 

LofC. 



12 Brief historical JVotes 

are no marks on the Alms Basin. All engraved with the 
Royal Arms between the initials <5 I I I R, with motto 
"fioni soit qui mal y pense." 

Plate of the same date and by the same maker is at 
Trinity Church, New York. (Illustration p. 12.) 

These services of communion silver, when not in use, 
are kept in a fire-proof vault in a building of the Eastern 
State Hospital. 

Zbe font 

According to tradition the Font in Bruton Church 
was used in the Church at Jamestown, and was brought 
from that place when the House of Burgesses was moved 
to Williamsburg, in 1699. 

Font Stones 

In the Calendar of State Papers Vol. I, page 35, there 
is the following record relating to the importation of 
Font Stones : 

"One order more, fame date (Hpril io, 1692), concern- 
ing font stones at "CindaU's point, Mr. Robt. Read one, 
Capt. Cborp one, & by Capt. Cborp's Information to my 
Cinder Sberif, Capt. ffra, Page one, Capt. Barnes Hrcber, 
one & y* ye Stone in Brougbton, p'ifb Cburcb is ye fame, & 
yt Capt. Page gave bis Receipt for tbem, but to wbome be 
Knows not." 

The tradition in the Parish is that when the James- 
town font was brought to Williamsburg, the one im- 
ported in 1692 was given to one of the neighboring 
Churches. 

Cbe Bell 

The bell which has rung out the years for more than 
a century and a quarter, has engraved upon it: "The gift 



Brief fHstortcal Motes 13 

of James Tarpley to Bruton Parish, 1761." There was 
a still older bell, which has been referred to, for the vestry, 
in 1769, entered an order for their contractor, Benjamin 
Powell, to have the "Old Bell and the materials of the old 
steeple." The ancient clock still looks down from the 
steeple, but for many years it has been unmindful of the 
flight of time. 

©lb IRccorb Books 

The old Parish Register of the Church is still in the 
possession of the Vestry. It was found some years ago 
in a box of papers where it had doubtless been hid for 
safe keeping during the war. During .this time it was 
badly mutilated by some person, ignorant of its value. 
A large number of pages were torn from the front and 
back of the book. It now contains the records of Bap- 
tisms from 1739 to May 21st, 1797, and the record of 
Deaths from April 13th, 1662, to December 18th, 1761. 
Thus it would appear that pages containing the record of 
seventy-seven years were torn from the front, and pages 
containing the record of deaths for thirty-six years were 
torn from the back. The book that remains has been 
rebound, and is kept in an iron safe. 

The entries in this Old Parish register prior to 1674, 
seem to belong to one of the adjacent churches, probably 
to the one located in Marston Parish, which was united 
with Middlet own Parish in 1674. The Baptismal record 
in this book shows with what care the members of the 
Church provided spiritual ministration for the children 
of their servants. The illustration given on page 14 
shows two pages of this ancient record. 

As stated in the introduction, the old vestry book of 
the Parish was either lost or destroyed during the wars, 
or was burned with the house of Revd. John McCabe in 
Hampton. 



14 Brief FHstorical Notes 



tablet IFnsibe the Cburcb 



Zbe parfce tablet 

Pkare this Marble lyes 
ye Rouble Daniel Parke 
of ve County of Gssex 6sq. who 
was one of bis Majesties' Counsellors 
and sometime Secretary of tbe 
Collony of Virgia* Re dyed ye 6tb of 

Marcb Hnno 1 679. 
f)is other felicityes ware crowned by 
bis bappy marridg witb Rebbecha 
tbe daughter of 6eorge Gvelyn 
of tbe County of Surry 6sq. She dyed 
tbe 2d of January Hnno 1672 at Long 
Ditton in ye County of Surry and 

left behind her 

a most bopefull 
progeny. 



Brief Historical Notes 15 



tombstone ITnsfoe the Cburcb 



Gbe ©rlanfco 3ones tablet 

fiere lies in hope of a Blessed Ressurection 
the Body of JMi% Orlando lones, 8on of Mr. 
Rowland 7ones sometime Minister of 
this parish be was born December ye 3ist 1681 
and Died 3fune yc 12th 1719 in ye 38th year of bis 
Hge. be was twice married bis first <Hife was 
Mrs. Martha Macon Daughter of Mr. Gideon 
Macon of JSew Kent by whom be left one 
Son named Lane & one Daughter named 
frances. f)is Second <Hife was Mrs. Mary 
3ttilliams daughter of 'jfames Williams 
of King & Queen who erected this 
Monument to bis Memory. 



16 Brief historical Notes 



tombstone IFnscrtptfons 



flDrs. Bnn Gimson 3ones 



Rerc lies all that the grave can claim of 
Mrs. Hnn Cimson ^foties 
Consort of the 
Rev. Servant 3oncs 
Born 1 st Sept. 1 787 
Married 26 Dec. 1 805 
Baptised 3 Mar, 1822 
Died 3unc 6, 1 849. 

If woman. ever vet did well 
If woman ever did cxccll 
If woman husband ere adored 
If woman ever loved the Lord 
If ever faith and f>opc and Love 
In fiuman flesh did live and move 
If all the graces ere did meet 
In her in her they were complete 

My Hnn, my all my Hngcl Sdif c 
My dearest one my love my life 
I cannot sigh or say fare well 
for where thou dwellcst I will dwell. 



U77-251 



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